Rainbow Quartz
by Rotten Pines
Summary: When Rose and Pearl have trouble fusing for the first time, Pearl goes to Garnet for advice. Will Garnet's teachings resonate with Pearl? How will Pearl cope with her own insecurities? Is she ready to give herself fully to another gem, and confess the feelings she has tried to hide away for centuries?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Pearl stared down at the valley for nearly an hour as they . . . no, as she danced in the midday sun, the cool breeze of Earth's autumn shaking loose the leaves from the nearby trees, as the Crystal Gems' new addition celebrated her new found independence. Pearl couldn't help but stand there in awe. The rebellious former servant had seen many unique things since she first came to Earth, but this defied everything her kind had ever known.

On Homeworld, a fusion between two different gems would be seen as an abomination. It would be heretical, a danger to the status quo that would be shattered and disposed of without a second thought, but here on Earth, she was free. She was her own gem, answering to no one but herself.

She was . . . alive.

That's was the power this planet held, the power to defy expectations, to explore possibility, to define one's self as one sees fit, not to be ruled by some uncaring, emotionless authority. This is the world Pearl fought for, the ideals she strives to protect. The very ideals instilled in her by the one being in this universe she chose to fight for, and if need be, die for.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" a voice from behind called out.

Pearl turned towards the sound of the pink goddess, yet another example of this planet's power.

"Yes," Pearl whispered, looking back down towards the valley. "She is."

The two stood there, admiring the beauty of nature, and the wonders this world held.

"Has she chosen a name?" Rose looked down at Pearl.

" . . . Garnet." Pearl responded, her eyes fixed upon the fusion.

"Garnet," Rose smiled. "What a wonderful name."

Pearl didn't move. She just kept staring at the fusion in the valley below. All that joy, all of her excitement, it was all so clearly visible upon her face as she continued to dance. In that moment, all of her worries and fears were gone. She was a perfect being without a care in the world.

"It must be nice." Pearl said.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"To be so close to someone. To make that kind of a connection with another gem. To meld with someone on such a level that you can no longer tell difference between yourself and the other person.

It must be nice to feel so . . . complete."

Rose stared at Pearl for a long time. She knew about Pearl's interest in the fusion, but only now did she understand how deeply her fascination went.

"Pearl."

"Yes, Rose."

"Would you like to fuse with me?"

Pearl's whole body tensed. Her eyes bulged. She couldn't believe what she heard. All at once the eager Pearl stood up and looked deeply into Rose's eyes.

"You . . . You mean it!?" Pearl could barely contain her excitement.

"Yes." Rose giggled. "I mean, unless you don't think you're ready."

"No- I mean yes- I mean . . . I'm ready when you are!" Pearl stuttered.

"Good," Rose smiled. "When should we-"

Suddenly, Rose felt herself being pulled as Pearl grabbed her by the hand and dragged her down the hill.

"-Oh! . . . Okay." Rose responded.

. . .

"Are you ready?" Rose whispered into Pearl's ear.

"Yes." Pearl inhaled deeply as she took Rose's hand in her's.

The two readied themselves for what would come next. In the distance, Garnet looked on in wonder. Everything was so new, so scary, so exciting.

Pearl inched closer to Rose's body. They were so close. She could feel Rose's breath on her body. All at once, Rose wrapped her arms around Pearl's slender frame, sending tingles down the pale gem's back. Pearl was frozen. She couldn't think. She could barely move, but somehow managed to pull her arms around Rose's tall, buxom curves.

"This is it." Pearl thought to herself as she pulled her body in close, burying her head in Rose's bosom, as the entire world disappeared in a blinding white light.

. . .

 _Where am I?_

 _. . ._

 _How did I . . . Rose! Rose? Where are you?_

 _. . ._

 _I can't see you, Rose. I can't see . . . anything._

 _. . ._

 _Rose? . . . I don't understand. I thought . . . I thought if we fused, I could finally get close to you. I could finally connect with you in a way no one else can, but I can't even see you. How can I . . . How do I . . ._

 _. . . Rose?_

. . .

In an instant, the blinding light was gone. Pearl and Rose laid dazed on the ground as Garnet looked on in surprise.

"Well, that didn't go quite as planned." Rose said with a lighthearted sigh as she rose to her feet.

A little further away, Pearl sat in silence, her head down, her eyes gazing towards the ground.

"I . . . I'm sorry." Pearl started. "I must have done something wrong. Maybe if we-"

"No, no!" Rose interrupted. "It's not your fault."

Rose walked towards the frightened Pearl. "We both knew that fusion between two different types of gems would be difficult. We just need more practice."

Rose bent down and offered a hand to her Pearl, which the warrior accepted.

"Ri-Right, more practice," Pearl sighed as she rose up, clasping her hands tight. "Okay, I'm ready! This time, let's try to-"

"Wait!" Rose stopped. "Not yet. Let's take a break for now. Get some rest, and we'll try again in the morning."

"But . . . but I'm ready. Really, I am!"

Rose shook her head. "No, you're not. I could tell just by looking at you."

"Rose, I-"

"You trust me, don't you?"

Pearl's body stiffened. "Of course!"

"Then trust me now. We will learn how to fuse. We will make that connection together, I promise."

For a moment, Pearl's thoughts wavered. She stood there, staring longingly into Rose's eyes, fighting with all her might to hold back the tears.

"I . . . I believe you."

Rose smiled. "Good! Now, go get cleaned up, and I'll see you in a little bit, okay?"

With that, Rose turned and headed off towards camp, leaving Pearl to tend to her own affairs. However, almost immediately after Rose's departure, the proud swordsman began to sulk.

"I'm not ready." Pearl whispered to herself. "I don't know what happened, but clearly I'm not ready to fuse with her."

Pearl knelt down on the ground and tried to collect herself.

"I need to understand. I need to know what I did wrong if I'm ever going to connect with Rose. I need . . . "

Pearl turned to face the fused gem who had been watching her since this little experiment began.

"I need help."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pearl paced around the valley for about an hour, trying her best not to look too conspicuous, all the while sneaking glances at the gem sitting silently in the distance . . .

. . . sitting silently, almost as if she were . . . waiting.

"What's wrong with me?" The slender gem sighed. "What am so I afraid of?"

Finally, after much delay, Pearl took a deep breath, stiffened her shoulders, and made the seemingly long trek towards Garnet, who stood to greet her as she approached.

"Garnet," said Pearl, "I was wondering if I could-"

"It's about time you showed up." Garnet spoke in her deadpan tone.

"Wh-what was that?"

"You wanted to ask me about fusion, if it was possible for you to fuse with Rose, and what you would need to do to make it happen, right?"

Pearl stood there stunned for a moment, her eyes wide in shock and disbelief.

"Well . . . Yes, but how did you-"

"There were several possibilities where you would have come to me the moment Rose had left. However, you decided to wait and gather your courage." Garnet stood there, a beacon of wisdom and serenity. "Honestly, I'm surprised you waited as long as you did. It was beginning to become much more likely that you would hesitate until morning or even longer before coming to me."

Pearl cursed herself in her ignorance. Of course Garnet knew what would happen; her fusion contains a gem who is capable of seeing the future!

"Oh, right. I-I'm sorry. I-"

"There's no need to be sorry, Pearl," Garnet spoke. "In fact, that's part of the problem."

Pearl's head jerked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Garnet sighed, "You're too nervous, too afraid, too timid when it comes to fusion."

The fused gem placed her hand on Pearl's shoulder, hoping to ease her tension. "When we fuse, we give ourselves fully to another gem. Our emotions, our joys, our anxieties, our fears and trepidations; they all merge to form . . . whatever it is we're meant to be. You need to be willing to open up to Rose. You need to let her see the real you, the you that you hide behind the warrior, the swordsman, the Crystal Gem."

Pearl quickly backed away from Garnet. Afraid? Her? She was one of Rose Quartz's most skilled and dedicated soldiers. What would she ever have to be afraid of?

"I'm not afraid," declared Pearl. "I haven't been afraid of anything since this war began. I put my faith in Rose Quartz and she has never led me astray. Why would I be afraid to open myself to Rose now?"

Garnet lowered her head and sighed. "Because you're afraid of what would happen if she rejected you."

All at once, the Pearl's greatest anxiety, her worst fear, was laid bare before her. She had devoted her entire life to Rose Quartz's teachings. Never once had she wavered in her devotion. Why was that? Would Rose be as devoted to her as well? What would happen if Pearl put herself out there, only for Rose to-

No! She couldn't even think it!

"Are you saying I'm not a warrior, that devoting myself to Rose, to the sword, isn't "the real me"?"

Garnet paused for just a moment, desperate to find a way to make Pearl understand.

"It is an important part of who you are, but it does not solely define you in Rose's eyes."

Garnet stared at Pearl. "You are so much more than just her knight. You mean so much more to her than that. You need to understand, you are not just another Pearl. These . . . Crystal Gems . . . are not just some band of lawless rebels. You, all of you, are unique, special, unlike anyone or anything that has ever existed."

Garnet's words hit Pearl like a bolt of lightning. The swordsman began to laugh even as tears started to form in her eyes. "How can you be so sure? You and I barely even know each other."

Garnet held Pearl close. "Because when I came to you all, a fusion who had jumped the track of fate, cast out by her own kind, when I had nothing, you all accepted me. You took me in. You gave me a home, and something I could believe in."

Garnet smiled, "Not even I saw that one coming."

. . .

"Are you sure you're ready?" asked Rose. "We can wait until-"

"No," replied Pearl. "I'm ready now. Don't worry . . .

. . . I know what I have to do now."

The two gems sized each other up and began to dance, a swirling cascade of beauty and wonder. They inched closer and closer to each other, their hands intertwining, their bodies drawing closer and closer to one another until, finally, they were once again engulfed in a bright and beautiful light.

 _. . ._

 _Rose?_

 _. . ._

 _Can you hear me? It's Pearl._

 _. . ._

 _I don't know if you are listening, but there's something I need to say, something that's been on my mind for a long, long time._

 _The truth is, Rose . . . I'm afraid._

 _. . ._

 _Not of dying. I've never been afraid to die. I'm not even that afraid of being caught or captured by the enemy. No, the truth is, I'm afraid of what would happen . . . what would happen if I ever lost you._

 _. . ._

 _You've been the single most important thing in my life for so long, I don't know what I would do without you. I don't know how I could go on, how I could even function without you to guide me._

 _. . ._

 _I put up this brave front. I thrust myself headlong into battle, and I fight with everything in my being, and I'm glad to do it because . . . because I know that it's to protect you. Every hit that I take is a strike intended for you, and I worry that, if I stop for just one second, you might-_

 _. . ._

 _I can't lose you. I'm not strong enough. You're the only thing in this whole universe that matters to me. Rose, I . . ._

 _. . ._

 _I love you._

 _. . ._

 _. . ._

 _Pearl, you don't have to be afraid. Remember, you are my sword, and that makes me your shield. I will always be there to protect you._

 _Don't say that you are not strong enough, because you are strong._

 _Don't be afraid of losing me, because, no matter what, part of me will always be with you._

 _Please, don't allow yourself to get hurt on my account. Don't act as if your life doesn't matter. You matter more to me than you could possibly understand._

 _You are your own gem, and the truth is, well . . ._

 _I think you're pretty great._

 _. . ._

 _. . ._

 _Together, we are strong._

 _Together, we are more than if we were apart._

 _Together, I could be . . . amazing._

 _I could be brilliant._

 _I could be . . . I could be . . . I am . . ._

 _I am . . . alive._

 _I am alive._

 _. . ._

"I am Rainbow Quartz."


End file.
